Gunmen suspected to be enforcing an illegal Monday sit-at-home order, have again, disrupted peace in Ebonyi State .
They attacked motorists and damaged properties on the Abakaliki/Enugu Expressways. The source said the gunmen visited the Ezzangbo junction in Ohaukwu local government area and burnt vehicles and motorcycles.
He said: “Unknown Gunmen visited Ezzamgbo Junction today, burnt down two vehicles and two motorcycles at Sam. Egwu’s flyover along Abakaliki-Enugu Expressway, Ebonyi State Nigeria.”
Videos showing the vehicles and motorcycles burning with terrified residents scampering for safety as gunshots were fired intermittently have since gone viral on social media.
The Society of Young Nigerian Writers (SYNW), Anambra State chapter, has commended the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, for renaming Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport after the late literary icon, Prof. Chinua Achebe, saying that it was the best Independence Day gift to them. Coordinator of the group in the state, Izunna Okafor said that the decision to immortalize the literary giant, Achebe, was extraordinary and that his group was highly pleased about the development.
“The news of renaming the Anambra State International Cargo and Passenger Airport, Umueri, after Prof. Chinua Achebe filled our hearts with boundless joy. It is an affirmation of the value and significance of literature in our society.
“As young writers, we have consistently championed the call for the immortalization of Chinua Achebe through our annual program, the Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture.
“This initiative, which we initiated in 2016, serves as a platform to honor Achebe’s enduring legacy. We hold this event at the Anambra State Central E-Library, Awka, where we also unveil an international poetry/essay anthology (Chinua Achebe Poetry/Essay Anthology) annually in his honor.
“Writers from across the globe participate in this initiative, and we are excited to announce that the 8th edition of the anthology will be released this year, coinciding with the 2023 Chinua Achebe Literary Festival and Memorial Lecture.
Each year during the festival, we passionately reiterated our call for the government to immortalize Achebe, emphasizing the injustice of neglecting such a world-class intellectual. We lamented the demoralizing effect this had on upcoming writers and the youth.
“We observed that while politicians and money bags were celebrated and immortalized, literary champions like Achebe had not received the recognition they deserved”, the statement reads partly.
The group appealed to the government to “establish an International Writers Residency in his honor, since there are just two (even privately-owned) writers residencies in Nigeria, and given that Anambra, being a home and cradle of many world-class writers, ought to have, at least, one writers residency.”
“This residency would be of immense importance and impact. Many of us have been fortunate to participate in writers’ residencies across Nigeria and worldwide, and we long for such a prestigious institution in our beloved state.
“Today, we express our deepest gratitude to Governor Soludo for heeding our call and fulfilling one of our requests to immortalize Achebe. This act is not only a precious and best Independence Day gift to Anambra writers but also to writers nationwide and beyond.
“In conclusion, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s decision to immortalize our role model, Prof Chinua Achebe, demonstrates that being an intellectual is a noble virtue deserving of recognition,” the statement adds.
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Mr Ambali Olatunji, has expressed the readiness of his union to join the nationwide strike on Tuesday. The Nigeria Labor Congress has earlier declared to embark on an indefinite strike beginning on Tuesday, October 3, 2023, following the hardship that came about over the removal of oil subsidy by the Federal Government.
Speaking in Akure, after the election of a new executive of the Ondo State Chapter of the NULGE, on Sunday, Olatunji declared that the union would join the strike. He said, “The only way to avert the NLC strike by President Bola Tinubu is to offer leadership. Mr. President brought this hardship to Nigeria by his proclamation on May 29 without due diligence to study the economy indices. We know that the outgone government misled him, and any policy that is bringing hardship to the people must be mitigated, we are not contradicting the withdrawal of the subsidy but there must be a structure to mitigate the effect of that subsidy removal.
“Because of our corruption and inefficiency, we cannot maintain our refineries, Nigeria is the only nation in the world that is oil producing, that cannot refine crude oil. Must we suffer that, why should we bear that burden, why can’t we bring those modular refineries operators in the Niger Delta together, sharpen their skills, license them and also collect tax from them, so that this would be internal, we don’t have to use hard currency to refine our crude oil, it would bring more jobs it would enhance local communities, why are we going after them to destroy their refineries when we don’t have capacity to it?
“Everywhere in the world government subsidized one thing or the other. We are surprised that President Tinubu is going the way of Buhari and others. If you really want to do palliative, pay 50 per cent gratitude to pensioners, people are dying, and people are committing suicide. Our belief is that the size of government is too large, you can not say we should tighten our belt while you lose your own belt. Ministers should not be more than 25 to 26, all others should be given special advisers. We should manage.”
The NULGE National President, however, opined that the government needed to go back to the local governments and give support to the local councils in the area of equipment, and infrastructural intervention among others.
The Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned a suspect, Olalekan Olukeye, on 18-count charges bordering on child pornography, money laundering and retention of proceeds of unlawful activities. The EFCC, in a statement Saturday by its acting Head, Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, said Olukeye was arraigned before Justice Tijani Ringim of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Friday.
The suspect was reportedly arrested by operatives of the EFCC on August 4 in the Akute area of Ogun State, following intelligence that the commission received from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
“He allegedly hacked into some social media accounts, posing as a young attractive woman to entice unsuspecting victims, and seeking their sexually explicit photographs, including nude images of a 14-year-old Canadian boy,” the statement said.
“Investigation revealed that the suspect later used the nude images of the 14-year-old to blackmail him, a situation that led to his death.
The former governor of Anambra state and 2023 Presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said that while it is not necessary to have the best educational qualifications, a person must be honest and honorable about his or her past to be a great leader. In an interview on Monday, the former governor spoke regarding his appearance at Princeton University where he said that political office holders must have an identity of their own, as well as authentic credentials. However, he noted that one did not need to have the best qualifications to be a leader, but to simply be honest about their background.
Obi said, “On issue of qualification, I never said anything with regard to improving the degree or doing this. The issue of qualification is the issue of leaders making statements, doing things that are honest and truthful. This is an issue of honor and integrity. It is the foundation on which you build society.
“If you look at what is happening in Nigeria today, there is so many issues of certification, age, all sorts of, one falsification or the other, all over within the leaders. There is no way people can be doing this and be able to do the right things, because that means they are living a falsified life, and that is not good morally and a sign it should be giving to the society.”
The LP candidate then used the example of several great world leaders and innovators who had bad educational backgrounds, no formal education, or even became school dropouts, and went on to achieve great things that changed the world and said, “You don’t necessarily need to have all the degrees in the world to be great, but you need to be honorable about your past so we can know where exactly you are and everything. The world abounds by great people who have poor past and no education, and that formed part of their greatness.”
However, when Obi was asked if he planned to work with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to help with nation building, he said, “We are at a point where we are challenging the process, these are part of what makes a nation. The process through which people come into office or assume or achieve anything is far more fundamental than what they do thereafter. It is important that people come through the right door and not just jump in through the window.
“As far as I am concerned, again, when it comes to issue of working, even opposition is part of building the process of having the proper government. What is important is that we challenge the process through which this government came into being, and that challenge is still there.”
To encourage development in the building materials and infrastructural sectors, BUA Cement Plc has announced the reduction of the price of its cement product to N3,500 per bag with effect from Monday, 2nd October 2023.
The price reduction is coming weeks after the company’s Chairman, Abdul Samad Rabiu, met with President Bola Tinubu, and promised the product price review.
In a statement released on Sunday, the company said upon completion of the ongoing construction of its new plants, which would increase production volumes to 17 million metric tonnes per annum, BUA Cement PLC intends to review these prices further, in line with earlier pronouncements by the first quarter of 2024.
Explaining that “all pending, undelivered orders which had been paid for at the old prices will be reviewed downwards to N3500/bag in line with the new pricing from October 2, 2023”, the company enjoined its licensed dealers to ensure that end-users benefit from the price reduction in ex-factory prices, and promised to monitor field sales to ensure compliance.
As Nigeria marks her 63rd independence anniversary; amidst harsh economy, widespread insecurity and institutional corruption, a pro-Biafran group, Biafra Defacto Customary Government, BDFCG, has called for collective efforts in bringing about desired changes – equal opportunities, inclusivity, and justice for all.
In a press release on the independence anniversary, BDFCG, through its Spokesperson, Prosper Odinga, said since after the genocidal war of 1967-70, the Biafran and the ordinary people across Nigeria have suffered greatly through marginalization, discrimination and outright killing under neocolonial administrators masquerading as democrats.
It advised the people not to be fooled by the Nigerian government’s propaganda, saying that the prevalence of favoritism, corruption and systemic inequality has stifled progress, hampered development and limited potentials of people living in the country, adding that the challenges need to be tackled.
The statement reads:
*Nigeria @63: A Reminder to Biafrans: Nigeria is nobody’s fatherland*
As we reflect upon the current state of our nation and the challenges we face as a people, It is crucial to remind ourselves of the prevailing reality: Nigeria is nobody’s fatherland, and it is not a motherland either. Nigeria has become a land that devours its inhabitants. Many have fled, and many continue to flee its shores in droves, seeking refuge and opportunities elsewhere. The exodus is not limited to a particular means of escape; it spans air travel, perilous journeys through the Sahara, and any means necessary.
The nepotistic foundation of the Nigerian state is rotten to the core, and it is this foundation that has led to the country’s many woes.
The Biafran people and the ordinary people across Nigeria have suffered greatly under the Neocolonial Administrators masquerading as Democrats since after the genocidal war of 1967-70. We have been marginalized, discriminated against, and even killed. We have seen our land plundered and our resources exploited.
We have seen the Nigerian government fail to provide basic necessities such as security, education, and healthcare. We have seen the country descend into chaos and violence.
On this day, we say to our brothers and sisters in Biafra: do not be fooled by the Nigerian government’s propaganda. The prevalence of favoritism, corruption, and systemic inequality have stifled progress, hampered development, and limited our potential as a people. It is imperative that we confront these challenges head-on.
BDFCG calls upon all Biafrans, irrespective of their location, to actively participate in the ongoing efforts to seek internal and external self-determination in the Nigerian state. We must continue to engage in constructive dialogue, promote peaceful coexistence within Biafran Space, and advocate for good governance, transparency, and accountability.
It is through our collective efforts that we can bring about the necessary changes our people desire. We must actively support initiatives that promote equal opportunities, inclusivity, and justice for all Biafrans anywhere they are living .
As we reflect upon the current state of our nation and the challenges we face as a people, It is crucial to remind ourselves of the prevailing reality: Nigeria is nobody’s fatherland, and it is not a motherland either. Nigeria has become a land that devours its inhabitants. Many have fled, and many continue to flee its shores in droves, seeking refuge and opportunities elsewhere. The exodus is not limited to a particular means of escape; it spans air travel, perilous journeys through the Sahara, and any means necessary.
The nepotistic foundation of the Nigerian state is rotten to the core, and it is this foundation that has led to the country’s many woes.
The Biafran people and the ordinary people across Nigeria have suffered greatly under the Neocolonial Administrators masquerading as Democrats since after the genocidal war of 1967-70. We have been marginalized, discriminated against, and even killed. We have seen our land plundered and our resources exploited.
We have seen the Nigerian government fail to provide basic necessities such as security, education, and healthcare. We have seen the country descend into chaos and violence.
On this day, we say to our brothers and sisters in Biafra: do not be fooled by the Nigerian government’s propaganda. The prevalence of favoritism, corruption, and systemic inequality have stifled progress, hampered development, and limited our potential as a people. It is imperative that we confront these challenges head-on.
BDFCG calls upon all Biafrans, irrespective of their location, to actively participate in the ongoing efforts to seek internal and external self-determination in the Nigerian state. We must continue to engage in constructive dialogue, promote peaceful coexistence within Biafran Space, and advocate for good governance, transparency, and accountability.
It is through our collective efforts that we can bring about the necessary changes our people desire. We must actively support initiatives that promote equal opportunities, inclusivity, and justice for all Biafrans anywhere they are living .
Bvi channel one wishes Mr. Ndubuisi Vincent Anaenugwu super happy birthday.
Thank you for all you do for bvi company, all the behind the scene works, we see them and we are grateful .. we wish you many more years in good health and sound mind.
President Bola Tinubu has lost his appeal against the release of his academic records by Chicago State University as U.S Judge Nancy Maldonado has adopted all the ruling of Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Gilbert of the U.S District Court, Northern District of Illinois, ordering the immediate release of the documents.
Justice Gilbert had ordered the Chicago State University (CSU) to turn over all records relating to Mr Tinubu to Mr Abubakar within two days, saying the former vice-president has been able to sufficiently satisfy the purpose for seeking the records.
Dissatisfied with the ruling, Tinubu appealed the judgment to stop the release of his academic records.
However, Judge Maldonado in a ruling on Saturday, dismissed the appeal by Tinubu and gave CSU until 12noon on Monday to release the documents and the deposition of officials of CSU completed by 5pm CDT on Tuesday.
The Judge further warned Tinubu against further appeal as the Court would not entertain such.
“For the foregoing reasons, the Court overrules President Tinubu’s objections to Magistrate Judge Gilbert’s recommended ruling, and therefore adopts the ruling in full.
“Mr. Abubakar’s Application is therefore granted. In light of the pending Supreme Court of Nigeria deadline, represented to the Court as October 5, 2023, and based on CSU’s representations that it is ready to comply with the discovery requests and produce a witness, the Court sets an expedited schedule for completion of discovery.
“Respondent CSU is directed to produce all relevant and non-privileged documents in response to Requests for Production Nos. 1 through 4 (as narrowed by Judge Gilbert and adopted here) in Mr. Abubakar’s subpoena, by 12:00 p.m. (noon) CDT, on Monday, October 2, 2023.
“The Rule 30(b)(6) deposition of CSU’s corporate designee must be completed by 5:00 p.m. CDT on Tuesday, October 3, 2023. Given the October 5, 2023, filing deadline before the Supreme Court of Nigeria, the Court will not extend or modify these deadlines.
“Further, the Court notes that at the recent emergency hearing, the possibility of a stay pending an appeal to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals was raised. The Court cautions President Tinubu that any request for a stay before this Court will be denied, as the Court finds any stay impracticable in light of the fast approaching Supreme Court of Nigeria deadlines.
“President Tinubu is, of course, free to request a stay directly from the Seventh Circuit should he file any appeal. Judgment is entered in favor of Atiku Abubakar.
